


No Good Reason

by Onehelluvapilot



Series: Tumblr prompt fics [52]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Gen, Hiding Medical Issues, Hurt Elyan (Merlin), Hurt/Comfort, Protective Merlin (Merlin)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:09:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28318773
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Onehelluvapilot/pseuds/Onehelluvapilot
Summary: Merlin is a little pissed off when he learns that Elyan was hiding an injury from him, but that doesn't stop him from doing his job and helping and supporting his friend
Relationships: Elyan & Merlin (Merlin)
Series: Tumblr prompt fics [52]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1922554
Kudos: 23





	No Good Reason

It seemed a little paradoxical, given their closeness to each other now, but most of the original Knights of the Round Table were used to being on their own. Leon, like a typical young nobleman, had been a page and then a squire for a number of years before being knighted, and during that time had made many friends and learned the benefits and trust that came with brotherhood. Lancelot, Gwaine, Elyan, and Percival hadn't had that opportunity. Since leaving home or losing their families, all of them had been for the most part alone, without any steady presence to joke around with or support and care for them. It was part of the reason why they had bonded so fiercely as soon as they met. The effects of not having anyone to trust for years, though, hadn't gone anyway entirely, and sometimes still reared their ugly heads. Oftentimes, Merlin was the one to notice and deal with it.

"Why the hell didn't you tell me you were hurt?" He demanded from Elyan. The knight had come to Gaius's chambers after the mission had ended, seeking something to help him sleep. Evidently, the pain of his wrenched shoulder, massive scrape down his right arm, and sprained wrist was keeping him awake. The injuries came from when he'd been thrown into the wall of the cave with the blast from the sorcerer's staff, nearly a full day previously. There was also a large bruise on his chest where the staff had collided with his sternum. "I could have helped you!" Merlin had been on the mission with them, as he always was, and had even brought the smaller medicine bag Gaius had assembled for him. Even if he hadn't, there were plenty of herbs in the forest that he could have gathered.

"It's not too bad," Elyan argued, though it was undercut by a hiss as Merlin spread a poultice over the deepest part of the scrape on his elbow.

"It may not be life threatening, Elyan, but it's not nothing," Merlin countered. "An injury doesn't have to meet some arbitrary level of bad for you to tell somebody about it."

"It's okay, Merlin. I'm used to dealing with injuries by myself," the knight tried to reassure him. The words had the opposite effect.

"You shouldn't have to," the servant said vehemently. "There wasn't any reason for you to be in this much pain! If it was an emergency, I could understand you ignoring it, but there was plenty of time for me to have treated it." Elyan sat quietly after that, letting his friend rub salve into his shoulder. "Listen, I… I get it. I don't like other people seeing my injuries or scars either, but I still get Gaius or Lancelot to help me because I know that if I'm hurt, I can't look out for Arthur and the rest of you properly." At any other time, Elyan would have lightly joked that didn't it go the other way around, with them all protecting Merlin, but now didn't feel like the time for that.

"You make a good point," he admitted instead. Thinking about what could have happened if one of his friends had been counting on him for help and his arm had given out at a critical moment, such as when he was wielding his sword to protect them or trying to help them up or something, made him a little sick to his stomach. Gwen and his friends were the most important things in Elyan's life, and he hasn't considered that he might be letting them down by not letting them help him. "Next time I'm injured, I'll tell you about it, as long as we're not in immediate danger."

"Good," Merlin said firmly as he finished wrapping the bandages around the knight's sprained wrist. He got up and grabbed a small prepared bottle of a mild sedative and pain reliever. "Take three drops of this in a glass of water each night before bed for the next week. It should help you sleep. And come back to see me if there's anything else you need."

"Thanks Merlin. I will," Elyan promised. And this time, the physician in training actually believed him.


End file.
